ofeighttempleswasbuiltaroundhiscave.Guttedbyfire
in 1998 (butterlamps,yetagain)it waspainstakinglyrebuilt.
FromtheParovalleyfloor 900 metresbelow,it resembles
a delicatechild’sconstructionclingingforprotectiontoa cliff
faceagainstthesheerdropbelow.Evenclose-upit lookslike
a puffofwindcouldcarryit away.
Youngandoldmakethehike.Peopleclimbinhikingboots
andheeledsandals.Sometaketwohourstochargeupthe
dustyswitchbacksoftheboulder-strewnpath,othershalfa day.
YoungIndiansblastmusicfromportablespeakersandbelled
horsesjanglealong,carryingthelazyandinfirmhalfwaybefore
leavingthemtotheirowndevicesandreservesofwillpower.
Theramblingcomplexhasmanymorestairstotestweary
legs.Tuckeddeepinsideis thecoldcavewhereGuruRinpoche
is saidtohavemeditated.Hisgolden,life-sizedstatueis said
tobetheonlythingthatsurvivedthefire.A roomofflickering
butterlampsis blessedlyringedwithextinguishers.
InonelastapproximationoftheBuddhistway,theTiger’s
Nestis bestappreciatedfromoutsidelookingin.Hundredsof
stepsdownandthenbackupagain,a ledgeontheotherside
ofa vertigo-inducingdropoffersthebestvantagepoint.Youcan
standa longtimehereat thetopoftheworld,gazingthrough
thevalley’ssoftlightat theTiger’sNestinallitsimprobable,
madlyimpracticalglory.Standlongenoughandyou’relikelyto
startdoubtingif theusuallawsofphysicsapplytothismagical
country, and whether what goes up really must come down.●
Gettingthere
ThaiAirwaysInternationalhasmultiplenon-stopflightsfrom
AustraliancitiestoBangkok,thaiairways.com.Stayovernightat
anairporthotelbeforecatchingtheearly-morningDrukairflight
toBhutan(viaCalcutta).Requesta left-handwindowseat
toseeMount Everest on approach to Bhutan.drukair.com.btStay
AmankoraDouble-occupancysuitesareabout$1550pernight
(about$1450single).Ratesaresubjecttoa further 20 percent
governmenttaxandservicecharge,anFIT(foreignindependent
traveller)surchargeofabout$60(double)or$40(single)
perday,andgovernmentroyaltiesofabout$65perperson
perday.Thereis alsoanadditionalvisaapplicationfeeofabout
$40andsustainable-tourismfeeof$10perperson.Amankora
ratesincludeaccommodation,allmealsandhousebeverages,
airporttransferstoandfromAmankoraParoorAmankora
Thimphu, and visa-processing assistance.amankora.comTrip
notesA viewofthe
PhobjikhaValley
fromAmankora
Gangtey.Right:
chilliesdrying
in the sun.